Pen Marks

The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

“Among my ummah there will certainly be people who permit zinaa, silk, alcohol and musical instruments…” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari ta’leeqan, no. 5590; narrated as mawsool by al-Tabaraani and al-Bayhaqi. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah by al-Albaani, 91).

Note from the authors:

If you always feel distracted in salah because of the music you listen to then maybe you should question the merit of music and whether it is indeed helping you or harming you.

We live in a place and time where we have so much good media at our fingertips that even some Muslimcountries don’t have as readily due to old technology. Muslim anasheed and TV channels and stores are available, the list goes on. If we indulge our time with recitation of the Quran, cd sets, lectures, discourses etc, we will find all our time is used up. We will not be bored and what’s more we will have a positive influence in our life and have it counted as ibada as opposed to a negative or neutral one. Can’t you feel that music and movies wear down your ibada?

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the view of Imaam Ahmad, his son ‘Abd-Allaah said: I asked my father about singing. He said: Singing makes hypocrisy grow in the heart; I do not like it. Then he mentioned the words of Maalik: the evildoers (faasiqs) among us do that. (Ighaathat al-Lahfaan).

Source

Many peoplewho fasted with us last Ramadan are now in their graves. Maybe next year you and I will be like them.

Do not say ‘Ramadan will come again’ because a Ramadan that left will never come back again. This one is different from the next one, and the next one is different from the next one. Also you don’t know if you will be alive next Ramadan.

Your lifestyle in Ramadan should be different from your lifestyle in other times.

There is a night in this month that is better than 1000 months. 1000 months!

The nights are short now and we should take advantage of that.

A trap many Muslims fall into every Ramadan is not reading Quran or finishing it.

The Salaf, some of them would finish the Qura every 3 or 7 or 10 days.

You can get the ajer of Qiyam Al-Layl just by prying the entire Taraweeh prayer with the Imam.

Backbiting will diminish your ajer, your reward that you get from fasting.

Bukhari said ‘I have never backbitten anyone ever since I learned that backbiting is Haram.’ Imagine that, he started his quest of knowledge when he was about 16 and he died when he was 80 something. And all that time he never back bit anyone ever!

Women going to the masjid should:

• Observe proper Hijab
• Not wear any perfume

This is part 1 of a series that is intended to share lessons and benefits learned from listening to and reading the Ayaat of Allah during this blessed month, the month of the Qur’an. The purpose is to reflect and prepare for the Ayaat that will be recited during Taraweh. (To read more posts like this one visit Hashiyaat)

Bi-ismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem

Surah Al-Baqarah

Allah knows and we know not

Alif, Lam, Meem.

[Baqara:1]

Lesson: We know nothing at all except what Allah wills us to know, and He (‘azza wa jal) knows all. So Allah’s book starts off by a statement that tells you to listen up and learn from the knowledge Allah has revealed.

A perfect book

This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah -

[Baqara:2]

Lesson: A people worthy to be guided by such a flawless book have to be special. Who are they?

Description of Al-Muttaqeen (the pious believers)

1) Who believe in the unseen,
2) establish prayer,
3) spend out of what We have provided for them,
4) who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad],
5) and what was revealed before you,
6) and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].

[Baqara:3-4]

Allah has sealed their hearts

Allah has set a seal upon their (Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab and the like) hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.

[Baqara:7]

Description of the Al-Munafiqeen (the hypocrites)

1) They [think to] deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive not except themselves and perceive [it] not.
2) In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.
3) When it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers.” Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.
4) When it is said to them, “Believe as the people have believed,” they say, “Should we believe as the foolish have believed?” Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not.

[Baqara:10-13]

Lesson: Many of the people who claim to bring peace and justice to lands are actually the worst corruptors of those lands, exploiting the economy and the people. They fool the people but they do not fool Allah.

Deaf, Dumb and Blind

Deaf, dumb and blind – so they will not return [to the right path].

[Baqara:18]

Lesson: When the heart is diseased and turns towards hypocrisy then the senses are of no avail to this person because they are not doing him any good, rather they are harming him.

Hearing and Sight: A Favor from Allah

And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.

[Baqara:20]

The ultimate challenge & the fuel of the fire: Men and Stones

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah , if you should be truthful. But if you do not – and you will never be able to – then fear the Fire, whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.

[Baqara:24]

Lesson:
1) Because this book is perfection, there cannot be anything better ever produced. This is the best guidance for humanity. You can’t get better than perfection.
2) Stones are usually used to put out fires. If the hellfire is fueled by men and stones it must be horrific indeed.

The fruits of Jannah

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, “This is what we were provided with before.” And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally.

[Baqara:25]

Lesson: The fruits in this world are a great blessing from Allah. Allah made us recognize the fruits of Jannah as the fruits we got in this world to appreciate them even more, although the fruits of Jannah will be nothing like the ones in this world. For example, while eating an apple in Jannah you might say “I used to eat apples in Dunya but I never knew the delight of an apple until today”.

Full Post Here

Last night I couldn’t fall asleep so I stayed up reading Quran. Alhamdulillah I’m ahead of schedule. Then I got tired after a while so I went to sleep around 3:30 AM and woke up at 4 for Suhoor. I read a few more pages to finish the Juz I was on, then I went to sleep. One of my Ramadan goals is to get as many Khatms as I can inshallah.

Our hifdh teacher has us read at least 5 pages everyday even before Ramadan, and now alhamdulillah it’s very easy to recite two or three Juzu’s every day. (Just keep your Mushaf with you at all times and you’ll be surprised at how much free time you have that you can use to read Quran)

I also started a Quran Journal about four days ago (see pic) and I’ve been carrying it around with me every where I went. It’s become some what like my cell phone, I can’t leave unless it’s in my purse or in the car where I can go and get it if I need it.

We went to Jumu’ah today and Sh. Muhammed gave a lecture on Ramadan (notes coming up in a min) Then I stayed behind and had a ‘meeting’ with some of the sisters there. Turns out I’m going to be organizing a Ramadan Workshop for kids in about two weeks. (I think on the 25th and 26th but I’m not sure yet)

Lastly, today’s Taraweeh Q: Non believers will never be pleased with us until we follow their religion. What is the ayah that speaks about this issue?

(This post was written Thursday Aug 12 but I forgot to publish it)

Today was the first day of fasting and I burned out all my energy around 5:00 PM, probably because I could hardly get up for Suhoor that morning. We got back from Taraweeh last night and I watched an Islamic Program on TV. By the time I went to sleep it was 2 AM, which made it hard to get up only two hours later at 4 AM for Suhoor. For Iftaar, my mom filled up the dining room table but we ended up eating only 1/5 of the food. The rest went into the fridge for  tomorrow’s Suhoor.

The masjid is doing a small daily question game/competition every night. They post up a question about an ayah that was read during Taraweeh and you have 24 hours to put your answer in the answer box. Then every night after the first four rakahs of Taraweeh they pick a winner by random choice.

Last night’s question was: Allah mentions a group of people who tell others to do good deeds but they themselves don’t. Mention the ayah number that talks about this.

Yesterday we went to the masjid for Maghrib hoping that Ramadan would start today (Wednesday) There were a lot of people at the masjid, all waiting to here the announcement. There were two Nonmuslim women who came to learn more about Islam. One of them was really facinated while the other was quiet the entire time. They had a chance to taste some Arab sweets (one sister brought Baklava to celebrate that Ramadan was here) and I think they really liked it lol

So after maghrib, the president of the masjid announced that there was still no responce from the Hilal comittee so we decided to stay a little longer. By now our hopes for fasting on Wednesday were a lot less.

One thing I love about Ramadan is the warm and sisterly atmosphere in the masjid. Everyone – those who knew each other and those who didn’t – sat together and talked telling stories and joking around. Then we decided to use our time for something better and everyone got together into one big Quran circle and we all read Quran together.

When we finished the Surah that we were reading – Surah Yunus – they announced on the speakers that Ramadan would start on Thursday. So since there was no Taraweeh that night, we all went home after Isha prayer.

Note to self: Buy a new journal

Here are the notes for Journey through the Quran webinar:

Why use a Quran Journal

• More than just ‘Dear diary’ moments
  • More than just recording daily events
• Key life decision making & Personal development tool
  • Personal development journal
  • Make important life decisions by using the Quran and turning to it to make the decisions
• When you learn something from the quran, you can make an entry into your Quran journal
• Journal entry title sample:
  • What should my Ramadan Quran goals be?
  • Then scribble down all your goals under it
• Linear thoughts vs Birds Eye view
  • Linear thoughts: one thought leads to another and another
  • Linear thoughts: usually you spend 90% thinking about the problem and only 5% thinking about the soluntion
  • Birds Eye view: scribble down all the thoughs onto your quran journal
  • Birds Eye view: You’ll be able to look at the notes in a third person perspective and you’ll also be able to see the solution to your problem
• Useful if you ever need to give a reminder
  • You can use your quran journal for any notes from Islamic lectures

What is a Quran Journal

• Get an elegant note-book that inspires you to write
• Take it to every Islamic Lecture
• “Write down the best of what you hear, memorize the best of what you wrote, and pass on to others the best of what you memorized.”
• Use it for all Tafseer courses
• Write down all the questions you have about the Quran
  • When you write them down, it will make you want to go and look for the answer
  • When you get a chance to ask them to someone, you’ll have them ready for you in one place vs having to think them up
• The place of your muhasabah
  • “One of the big problems of the Ummah is that we just don’t think enough. If all we were to do is spend ten minutes each day and think about what we did that day and how we can improve on it tomorrow, we would see a big transformation in the ummah.”
  • Muhasabah: tIme out everyday to think about how you can improve what you did in the day that just passed
  • What went right, what went wrong, and how to improve it
• Avoid procrastiation
• Goal setting and Record Keeping
  • Write down all your goals Quran & Personal

How to organize the Quran Journal

• Use only 1 Journal
  • It will get hard to keep track of all your journals if you have more than one
• Title each new entry
  • Title it with a question – very helpful
  • Write down the date and the place you’re in
• Number the pages
• Include an index of important sections in the back
  • Index works better than color coded categories
• List page numbers under each entry in the index
  • Ex. Lecture notes pg 2-6, 14-17, 59-63
  • Tafsir course pg 1, 7-10, 18-21
  • Decision-making pg 11-13, 18, 32-37

So alhamdulillah there’s only one more day until Ramadan (or maybe two Allahu A3lam) and I’ve filled my iPod with lectures on Ramadan, bookmarked all the channels with the really good Islamic Programs, started on my list of Ramadan goals, figured out what I wanted to stop/start, and I still feel like I’m missing something. May Allah help us make the most out of this month.

I was supposed to do a Ramadan Workshop for kids with a friend but it didn’t work out, so *inshallah* I’m going to do it at home. I’m hoping I don’t lose interest after a few days though. If we do anything great I’ll try to post it up.

I’ll also be doing the Ramadan diaries again on Pen-Marks. They’re not going to be daily, just whenever I have something interesting to share. I was really hoping Productive Muslim would do the 30 days 30 bloggers 30 posts like they did last year, but inshallah this year they’re going to be hosting Productive Ramadan. I’m really excited about it and I’m pretty sure that it’ll be great, so don’t forget to sign up!

Well here are some more Ramadan resources I collected from the web. Enjoy!

Preparing for Ramadan

Ramadan Calender

Ramadan Organizer for Moms

Ramadan is (Story book for Kids)

Ramadan Checklist

Ramadan Taskinator (From Productive Muslim)